Wolverines to Start 2022 NCAA Tournament with American

THIS WEEK
Saturday, March 19 -- vs. American (Crisler Center), 3:30 p.m.
Tickets | TV: ESPN2 | Live Audio | Live Video
Gameday Central | Tournament Experience

• Complete Game Notes (PDF)

• Social Media: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The No. 3-seed University of Michigan women's basketball team (22-6) will kick off the 2022 NCAA Tournament by hosting No. 14-seed American (23-8) in the first round Saturday (March 19) at Crisler Center. The game is set for 3:30 p.m. and can be seen live on ESPN2.

Wolverine Notes

• U-M is making its fourth straight and 10th overall appearance in the NCAA Tournament in this year's event. It is the first time Michigan has ever earned four consecutive bids to the NCAA Tournament in program history. U-M is 6-8 all-time in the NCAA Tournament, advancing to last year's Sweet 16 in the longest run ever for the Maize and Blue. U-M has advanced to the second round in 1990, 2001, 2013 and 2018. The Wolverines received a No. 3 seed after compiling a 22-6 record, marking the highest seed in program history.

• J. Ira and Nicki Harris Family head women's basketball coach Kim Barnes Arico is making her ninth appearance in the NCAA Tournament, with the first four berths coming at St. John's. Barnes Arico is 10-8 in the NCAA Tournament, with her teams winning at least one game in all eight of her prior appearances. She is 5-4 as the Michigan head coach in the NCAA Tournament as U-M advanced to the Sweet 16 for the first time in school history last season. KBA is also the Michigan program leader with five NCAA Tournament appearances as head coach, accounting for half of Michigan's berths.

• Michigan is one of six Big Ten schools to make the NCAA Tournament, joining No. 2 seed Iowa, No. 3 seed Indiana, No. 4 seed Maryland, No. 6 seed Ohio State and No. 8 seed Nebraska. The Big Ten's four top-four seeds are the most for the conference since 2005, while the six NCAA selections are just one shy of the conference record for most teams selected in one season. This represents the fourth consecutive NCAA Tournament, as well as the 17th in the past 21 and 24th time in Big Ten history that at least six current conference members have been selected to compete in the NCAA Tournament.

• Michigan earned a No. 12 ranking in the final Associated Press poll of the season, marking just the third time in program history that U-M was listed in the final edition. The previous times were when the Maize and Blue finished ranked No. 16 last season and No. 25 in 2000. The No. 12 ranking is the highest season-ending rank in school history. In addition, Michigan was in every AP poll this season, the second time in program history that the Wolverines were listed in every poll. U-M has been in each weekly AP Poll of the last two seasons.

• Michigan is back at home, hosting the first and second rounds of the NCAA Tournament for the first time in school history. U-M is 14-0 at home this season, outscoring opponents by nearly 20 points per game (77.2 ppg to 58.1 ppg). U-M has two players in double-figure scoring at home in Naz Hillmon (24.4 ppg, up from her season average of 21.1 ppg) and Leigha Brown (14.1 ppg on 51.8 percent shooting), with U-M shooting 49.8 percent from the floor as a team at Crisler. The defense has been stingy at home, allowing just 58.1 points per game on 36.9 percent shooting. Michigan has held nine opponents under 60 points at home this season.

• Naz Hillmon became the first player in program history to earn Associated Press All-America first-team honors. She was a second-team selection last season. Hillmon has appeared in 27 games this season, starting 26 times en route to averaging 21.0 points and 9.4 rebounds in 33.2 minutes per game. She has 14 double-doubles on the year, moving into first place on Michigan's career list with 48. She became the first player -- man or woman -- in Michigan basketball history with 2,000 points and 1,000 rebounds. She is second in program history with 2,097 points and first with 1,020 boards. Hillmon also has been named a first-team All-American by the Athletic and Sports Illustrated this season.

• This is the second meeting between Michigan and American, with U-M getting an 82-33 win over the Eagles on Dec. 22, 2016, at Crisler. American associate head coach Tiffany Coll started her coaching career as a graduate assistant under Kim Barnes Arico at St. John's, spending the 2005-06 and 2006-07 seasons with KBA in Queens.

• American (23-8) won the Patriot League title with a 65-54 win over Bucknell in the championship game. The Eagles have won seven straight after dropping an overtime decision to Army on Feb. 19. American is averaging 60.0 points per game on 42.2 percent shooting while allowing 56.0 points per game on 39.5 percent shooting. Jade Edwards (12.8 ppg) and Taylor Brown (10.3 ppg) are both scoring in double figures, with nine players averaging at least 12.5 minutes per game. U-M is 1-0 all-time against AU, getting an 82-33 win at Crisler right before the holiday break in 2016 (Dec. 22).